Welcome to Alphabet Adventures a journey through the dictionary Episode 8.
If you didn't catch the first episode you can find it here basically it tells you what I am doing and why.

I have decided that the following quote will be a permanent fixture as I feel really captures the power of language.

“If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them”

Today's Adventure

Often when I'm in the process of researching words for this series I find the process bears a little gift, I become more attached and connected to the language I use, so often when we speak or write it can seem that the words we use are disposable, thrown out merely for the use of expressing a temporary thought without much consideration for their true meaning, without much thought of what we are really saying.

Our choice of words can carry almost subliminal subtext, even when choosing between nearly identical synonyms we expose our ideology that we might think hidden or even be unaware of in ourselves.

By researching these words I'm prompted to new thoughts and even whole new patterns of thinking and I must by need make room for these new ideas in my life which brings me to today's word Absorb.

Absorb

v.t 1. To suck up or drink in.
2. To take in, to assimilate.
3. To take up or receive by chemical or molecular action.
4. To take in without echo or reaction.

Etymology.

I have said it before and I will say it again, man I love it when a word told true to its origins. Absorb having the Latin roots ab- off, away from and *sorbere - to suck or soak up

There are so many positives hidden in this little gem of a word, for example, there is a reason that young children are often referred to as little sponges in-fact it describes one of their most admirable traits, their willingness and hunger to drink in, soak up, absorb new information, and experiences, the benefits they gain from this thirst are immense.

Good news even as an adult you can get those benefits.

Be the Sponge, Be a Kid

Absorbed By.

I think its fair to say that most of us know the experience of being completely absorbed by something it could be our work, a creative endeavor, a book, a video game, researching words for a geeky blog bearly anyone will read, hell it could be almost anything.

It's in that point of total absorption that the strange construct we call time vanishes and is replaced by now, sounds pretty zen right? that's because it is.

Ever noticed that it's often in this state that you learn more from your studies, create better artworks, hell sometimes get epiphanies from whatever you immersed in, that's the power of being absorbed.

Focused Absorption.

This is that deliberate, overwhelming thirst to absorb a subject, it's those special people that break new ground gaining progressive eureka moments until it can be shouted in the streets.

While I have never experienced this kind of focused thirst myself let me quote Mr. Charles Darwin.

It is a cursed evil to any man to become as absorbed in any subject as I am in mine.

Personally, I like to think he jests here but I can understand that the work and effort of total absorption must be great, alternating between the flow of zero time and the grind of pure effort.

If your one of these people that can do this I salute you.

Passive Absorption and unwitting adoption.

It’s one of the wonders of our spongy mind that absorption happens without the direction of the will, it soaks things up just by exposure, which is great if your putting yourself around useful things but the truth is not everything is worth drinking up.

We can unwittingly absorb the attitude of others around us, their patterns of speaking, we can find ourselves swearing more because of the company we keep, being more judgemental, quick to anger, biting response, and cold sarcasm.

With passive absorption from those around us being able to affect us on a very real level, it becomes important to be mindful of what we expose our little sponge too.

Be the sponge, Be the kid.

But more importantly, have fun, and as much as posable try to be aware of that special state that is absorption.

Kind regards

Peter

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